Weekender: Online Casino Hopes Fade As Risks Grow
Online casino bills falter over market and social harm fears. A JAMA study shows a 23% rise in problem gambling searches since 2021. Gambling is not a shortcut.
The Bulletin Board
ABOVE the FOLD: A look at the biggest stories of the week.
— This week’s top stories in the Straight to the Point newsletter
— Must-read stories of the week
— Newsletter reads of the week
HOUSEKEEPING: Podcasts, featured articles, and more from yours truly.
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This Week’s Top Stories on STTP
MONDAY: Online casino hopes dashed early as multiple states quickly shelve legislation amid cannibalization and social harm concerns.
TUESDAY: Indiana's online casino effort has already been put back on the shelf, which is just more evidence of how frigid the climate to legalize online gambling is.
WEDNESDAY: Gambling, whether it's SGPs, lottery, or meme coins, might seem like a shortcut to fortune and glory, but like most shortcuts, it often leads to disappointment.
THURSDAY: A study in JAMA reveals a significant increase in problem gambling-related searches since 2021, with a 23% rise in queries like "Am I addicted to gambling?"
Must Reads of the Week (AKA Casino Reports Is Killing It)
Schuetz: Hey, Massachusetts Gaming Commission, It’s Time To Get The Band Back Together ~ Richard Schuetz, Casino Reports
“In a story under the byline of Anna Betts, featured on Feb. 5, 2025, in The Guardian, the story is told of how her husband allegedly lost everything gambling with DraftKings in New Jersey… What I predict will happen now since the publication of this story by The Guardian is that the chorus of shills from the American Gaming Association Choir will offer a resounding cheer of “Hit Piece,” condemning the journalists for writing such a one-sided story… Maybe the industry will even pay to create one or two new organizations to focus on problem gambling, continuing what is becoming a running joke. After all, the industry pays well for those.”
‘Abusive’ — The Word That May Put Gambling VIP Programs On Trial ~ Jeff Edelstein, Casino Reports
“One New Jersey lawyer is using a single word added to the state’s Consumer Fraud Act in 2022 in an effort to stop online sportsbooks and casinos from what he sees as predatory behavior targeting problem gamblers.
“Matthew Litt, a Chesterfield attorney — who doubles as the town’s mayor — has emerged as a leading figure in gambling addiction-related litigation, and he sees the addition of the word “abusive” to the state’s consumer protection laws as potentially transformative in court battles over VIP programs.”
Ruddock Report: The ‘Cannibalization’ Debate Keeps Blocking The Legalization Gate ~ Steve Ruddock, Casino Reports
“Our monthly look at the online gambling landscape includes the current legal and regulatory landscape, prospective online casino and online poker states, and significant trends to watch.”
This Week in Gambling Newsletters
Also, check out:
Housekeeping
PODCASTS:
This week’s guest on the Talking Shop Podcast was Brian Wyman, who stopped by to discuss cannibalization and TIG’s latest study, which indicates that online casino cannibalization can be as high as 16%.
Episode 41: The Reality Of Legalizing Online Casinos with Brian Wyman
"It’s really hard for somebody at this point to say with a straight face, ‘iGaming doesn’t affect land-based casinos at all.’ I don’t think that’s honest, really." ~ Brian Wyman
COLUMNS: This week’s featured column examines the increasing tensions between the regulated and unregulated sectors of the gambling industry.
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